Swiss group to test Microsoft IPTV

"US software giant Microsoft and Swiss telecom company Swisscom said Tuesday they would begin the first commercial trial of Microsoft television delivered to the home over [ADSL]. The four-month trial in 600 Swiss homes, scheduled to start in September and evolve into a fully commercial offering by 2005, underlines the eagerness of telecom service providers to move into media services to offset declining voice call revenues," reports Reuters.

"Swisscom, through its subsidiary Bluewin, will provide consumers with up to 30 channels, including five pay-TV channels and a set-top box from France's Thomson that can record shows on a computer-like hard disk."